Operating mechanism for louver construction



Sept. 23, 1941. v E, HUFF 2,257,056

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR LOUVER CONSTRUCTION M455. wt, 7m/747% Sept., 23, 1941., v. E. HUFF 2,257,056

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Filed July 8, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheer:l 2

SeP 23. l'94- v. E. Hur-'F 2,257,05

OPERATING' MEGHANISM FOR LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Filed July 8, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 23, 1.941-

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR LOUVE CONSTRUCTION Van E. Hui, Miami, Fla., assignor of one-halt i Charles F. Miller, Miami, Fla.

Application Jul-y 8 1939, Serial No. 283,500

Claims.l (Cl. 26896) The present invention relates to louver constructions and operating mechanisms therefor and more particularly to louvers vdesigned for window openings, porch openings, openings in doors and the like.

More particularly, the invention relates to a louver provided with pivotally mounted slats and with means for opening and closing the same.

One of the important obje'cts of the present invention isl to provide a louver particularly adapted for use in tropical climates to serve as storm protection.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a louver for use in such window openings as are unprovided with glazed sash, as well as an adjunct to the ordinary glazed sash window.

A third object of the invention is to provide novel vand improved means for securing the louver in fully open and closed positions and in desired positions vbetween open and closed positions.

A fourth object of the invention is to provide novel and improved operating means for such a louver.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel rack and pinion operating means for louver construction which will maintain the louver in any desired position and furnish a means for easily opening and closing the slats.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an operating mechanism which is easily and conveniently attached to the jamb of the louver. l

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet metal louver frame which is adapted to form the Jamb of the louver and the mullion between adjacent louvers as well as to furnish a support for the slats and the operating mechanism.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of sheet metal pivot clip member for a louver construction.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a louver illustrating one form of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2,-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the Lline 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail of the operating mechanism.

Figure 5 is a partly broken away detail o! the operating mechanism.

Figure 6 is a detail of the connecting means between the guide member and the traveler bar of the operating mechanism.

Figure 'l is a horizontal section of a sheet metal louver frame construction'.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional detail of a sheet metal louver frame construction.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a pivot member.

Figure 10 is a section of the pivot clip member and a portion of a louver slat.

Figure 11 is a section of a sheet metal louver frame.

Figure 12A is a vertical section illustrating a modified operating mechanism.-

Figures 13, 14 and 15 are detail views of portions of the modified operating mechanism of Figure 12.

Figures 16 and 17 are horizontal sections of the operating mechanism of Figure 12.

clip

Referring to Figure 1, reference numeral IIIkl indicates a louver construction in general having a pair of side frame members or jambs indicated in general by the reference numerals I I and I2, a head I3 and a sill I4. A plurality of slats I5 are provided which are suitably pivoted at one edge to a metal hanger member I6. Preferably the slats I5 are pivoted to the metal hanger member by a plurality of pivot clip members I'I, which is shown in detail in Figures 9 and 10. The pivot clip members Il are preferably struck out from a single sheet of metal and consist of two spaced dat parallel portions I8 and I9, connected by a portion 20 at right angles'thereto. Each nat portion I8 and I9 is provided with a rolled or turned-over eye, which is formed integrally from the metal of the ilat portion. Thus the portion I8 is provided with an eye 2l and the portion I9 with an eye 22. As will be noted, particularly in Figure 9, the eye 2| is located at the upper extremity of the nat portion I8, while the eye 22 is located at the lowerextremity of the portion I9. The portions I8 and I9 are also provided with struck out fastening tongues 23 whichare adapted to be embedded in the material of the louver slats I5 to immovably fasten the pivot clip'member to the'slats. The eye 22 is positioned and adapted 2,257,056 y to lock the sms in their closed .position since in tov receive suitable pins I6', which project from` the metal hanger member I6. The metal hanger member I6 is preferably formed of a strip of metal bent in the shape of an L, as shown in Figure 3, although these members may be U-shaped in cross section, as shown for example in Figure 16. The metal hanger I6 cooperates with a traveler bar 24 to form a weatherstripping for the edges of the louvers. This weatherstripping arrangement, however, forms -no part of the present invention, as it isV claimed.

in my copending application Serial No. 174,235, filed November 12, 1937, now Patent No. 2,168,347, of which the present application is a continuation in part.

The traveler bar 24 is of general L-shape in cross section and contains a number of pivot members 25 extending therefrom, which are adapted to cooperate with the eyes 2| of the` pivot clip member. Pivoted to one leg ofthe L-shaped traveler 24 at 26 is a link 21 which is pivoted at its other end to a track member or operating bar 28 which is-suitably carried and guided in a vertical plane by guides 29. The guides 29 have a pair of opposed rebent portions 30, adapted to cooperate with the olset guiding edges of the track member or operating bar, so as to guide the track member in a vertical direction. A pair of connecting members 3l are riveted to the forwardly protruding portion of the track or operating bar 28 and serve to iixedly connect the track with a gear rack 32. The gear rack 32 has a lateral series of Ateeth suitably formed on one edge thereof and` indicated by referencenumeral 33. The teeth 33 mesh with corresponding teeth 34 formed in the periphery.

of a pinion 35. The pinion 35 is pivoted in a casing 36 which is suitably fastened to a fixed frame member as by screws 31 or other suitable fastening members.

The forward portion of the casing 36 is rebent as at 38 to form a guide for the rack 32. A suitlable handle 39 having a square end 40 is provided. The square end 40 of the handle passes;

through the screen frame or any other intervening member and cooperates with a socket 4I provided in the pinion 35, as shown in Figure 3. `The modification of the device thus disclosed in Figures I to 6 inclusive operates as follows: When the handle 39 is rotated, a'corresponding rotation of the pinion 35 will move the rack 32 in an upward or downward direction due to the cooperation of the teeth 33 and 34. Upward or*r downward movement of the rack 32 will cause a corresponding movement of the track 28,in `the guide 29 due to the `action ofv the connecting members 3|. Movement of the track or operating bar 28Y in downward direction will cause `a. pull to take place on the links 21. This pull will be transmitted by the links to the traveler bar 24 and from the traveler 24 through the pivots 25 and the clips I1 to the upper edges-of the slats I5.v Since the slats I are pivoted at their front faces by means of the pivots I6f fixed on` the-frame member I6, this pulling'actionwill be effective to rotate the louvers about the pivots I6'.

Obviously, when the track or operating 'bar 28 is is at a maximum. It is to be noted that the slats will tend to come to a closed position just before the link 21 comes into the horizontal position. Further movement, therefore, of the track to bring the links'into horizontal position will ,exert a type of cam action on the link and the traveler and when the links are in horizontal position there will be a constant tension exerted thereon. T'his tensioning of the links will exert alocking action on the slats when they reach fully closed position. It is obvious that since the slats will come to closed position before the link 21 comes into horizontal position, that the length of the link is necessarily greater than the maximum distance between the movable pivots 25 and l the track 29 or operating bar. Since the track necessarily moves in a straight line vertical direction the proportioning of the link member and the distance between the moving pivot and the operating -bar is such that any -further-movement of the link 21 towards a horizontal position willmerely tension the link. This tension will be transmitted to the traveler bar 24 and from the traveler bar to the slats so that a constant locking action will be effective on the closed slats.

Movement of the rack 32 in a downward direction from that shown in Figure 2 will exert 4a pulling action on the links 21 and move the pivots 2| on the traveler bar in a downward direction to cause a clockwise rotation of the louver slats about the pivots I6 to open the slats.

As shown particularly in Figure 6, the track 28 is provided with a coupling member 28a, which may be utilized to attach any length of additional track member to the track 28. 'I'his arrangement allows the louvers to be made of any size and have any number of slats. It is to be noted that where louvers of a considerable length are employed a relatively largenumber of links 21 are used in order to transmit the moving and locking action to the slats at relatively short intervals; y

Although the slats, as shown in the gures of the drawings, are of wood, it is to be understood that the slats may be of any other suitable construction, i. e. they may be formed of sheet metal and operated in the same general manner by the operating mechanism just hereinbefore described.

A metal jamb construction is shown in Figures 7, 8, and 11. As shown in Figure 7 the metal jamb 5I isprovided with an extension 49 at its vinner face, which is adapted to be fastened to a suitable screen 50. r It is to be noted particularly that the frame ymember corresponding to the frame member I6 of Figure 3 is formed integrally withv the metal jamb, as indicated at 52. The

moved in an upward direction, the links 21 willv be vpushed toward the pivots I6 and the slats Asshown the links 21 are substantially horizontal, horizontal position of the links'21 will function 'casing '36 may also be integral with the jamb 5I, as indicated by the reference numeral 53, as

shown in Figure 8.

In the modication shown in Figure 11 the metal jamb is shown extended toform a mullion, which is indicated in general at54.

In the modification of the device shown in Figures 12 yto 17, a rack land gear arrangement fis also provided. The louvers I5 are linked to a modied track 28h which has formed integrally thereon a rack 55.- It isto be noted that the rack in this .modification is located on the inner wall .l of the jamb. A pinion 56 cooperates with the `rack55 to move the, track 28h in an upward and v'downward direction to'similarly move the traveler -bar-51 which performs 'an entirely similar .function to the traveler 24 of Figure 3. The upper portion of the track member 28h is provided with a longitudinal slot 58 having enlarged portions 59 forming detent seats. A detent 60 which is fastened to the jamb as by a suitable screw thread extends through the slot 58 and carries a cap member 6I pressedy into the seats or enlarged portions 59 by a. spring 62. This detent or latching member is adapted to retain the slats in any given position since it will con- Iine the movement of the track 28h to a series of steps in an upward or downward direction. The pinion 56 which serves to move the track 26h is suitably fastened to a shaft 63, which is fixed to a knob 64. A locking knob 65 is also carried at the outer end of the shaft 63. The connection between the locking knob 65 and the shaft 63 is effected by means of a threaded connection as indicated in general at 66 so that movement of the locking knob 65 in a clockwise direction will force the knob 64 in a downward direction against the frame of the 'louver to prevent rotation of the knob 64 and the shaft 63.

In Figure 14, the knob 64 is replaced by a crank member 61 which is suitably fastened to the shaft 63 as by a set screw 68. The crank 61 is adapted to be locked against movement by the locking knob 65 in an entirely similar manner with that just described.

The pivot clip shown in Figure 9 of the drawings is described and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 338,799, iiled June 4, 1940.

I claim:

1. Operating means for a louver having a series of pivoted slats connected by a traveller bar, said operating means including an operating bar guided for longitudinal movement parallel to said f traveller bar, a plurality of links having their ends connected respectively to the traveller bar and the operating bar, a rack extending longitudinally at an angle to said operating bar and a plurality of bent straps operatively connecting the rack and bar.

2. Operating means for a louver having a series of slats supported on aligned iixed pivots comprising an operating bar guided for longitudinal movement parallel to the line of said iixed pivots, a traveler bar pivotally connected to said slats and movable toward the line of said fixed pivots and away from said operating bar to move said slats to closed position, and a link member having spaced portions connected respectively to the traveler bar and the operating bar to move said traveler bar and slats upon corresponding movement of said operating bar, said slats being movable to closed position before the distance between the traveler bar and operating bar is at a maximum so that further movement of said operating bar and traveler bar will tension said link to thereby exert a constant closing tension on said traveler bar.

3. Operating means for a louver having a serie of slats supported on aligned fixed pivots comprising an operating bar guided for longitudinal movementparallel to the line of said fixed pivots, a traveler bar pivotally connected to said slats and movable towards the line of xed pivots and away from said operating bar to move said slats to closed position, a link member having its ends connected respectively to the traveler bar and the operating bar to move said traveler bar and slats upon corresponding movement of said operating bar, said slats being movable to closed position before the distance between the traveler bar and the operating bar is at a maximum so that further movement of said operating bar and traveler bar will tension said link to thereby exert a constant closing tension on said traveler bar, a rack connected to said operating bar and movable therewith and a pinion meshing with said rack to move the rack and operating bar.

4. Operating means for a louver having a series of slats supported on aligned fixed pivots comprising an operating bar guided for longitudinal movement parallel to the line of said fixed pivots, a traveler bar pivotally connected and overlapping a portion of said slats, said traveler bar being movable toward the line of said fixed pivots and away from said operating bar to move said slats to closed position and said overlapping portion of the traveler bar being adapted to bear against a portion of said slats when the slats are in closed position, and a link member having its ends connected respectively to the traveler bar and the operating bar to move said traveler bar and slats upon corresponding movement of said operating bar, said slats being movable to closed position before the distance between the traveler bar and operating bar is at a maximum so that further movement of said operating bar and traveler bar will tension said link member to thereby exert a constant closing tension on said traveler bar and through the traveler bar to the slats.

5. Operating means for a louver having a series of pivoted slats connected by a traveller bar, said operating means including an operating bar guided for longitudinal movement parallel to said traveller bar, a. plurality of links having their ends connected respectively to the traveller bar and the operating bar, a rack laterally spaced relative to said operating bar, and a plurality of straps operatively connecting said rack and bar.

VAN E. HUFF. 

